By Our Reporter
Six governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State have dismissed claims by Senator Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli that they have abandoned their ambitions and embraced ongoing reconciliation efforts ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
The aspirants, operating under the G6 platform, include Engr. Hakeem Alao, Engr. Rauf Olaniyan, Dr. Ayobami Lam-Adesina, Barr. Akeem Agbaje, Mr. Ololade Bakare and Barr. Musibau Asanike.
The group described Senator Alli’s comments as premature, saying he was “jumping the gun” by suggesting that the aspirants and their supporters had agreed to shelve their governorship ambitions.
Senator Alli, who represents Oyo South Senatorial District, had told journalists during the “A Day With BSA” programme organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State Council, in Ibadan that reconciliation within the party was progressing.
According to him, one of the G6 members had met him and conveyed assurances that the group would cooperate with the reconciliation process. He also revealed that he recently held discussions with another governorship aspirant in Abuja on the party’s preparations for the 2027 elections.
“I have also been going round to reconcile with members, both the governorship and the senatorial. I can tell you this party is going to resolve all that you think is a crisis,” Alli had stated.
However, in a statement issued by the G6, the aspirants maintained that no agreement had been reached to abandon their ambitions, stressing that Oyo APC had not produced a governorship candidate for the 2027 election.
The group accused Senator Alli of creating a false impression by presenting himself as the party’s governorship candidate.
“Oyo State APC is yet to have a governorship candidate, and Senator Sharafadeen Alli, who has been parading himself as the candidate of our great party, is living in delusion,” the statement read.
The aspirants reiterated their loyalty to the APC and pledged to support the party’s eventual candidate, provided the selection emerges through a transparent and credible consensus process.
“We are good party men, and we will be pleased to work for the victory of the party with anyone that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu picks as the consensus candidate,” the group stated.
The G6 insisted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should personally facilitate a consensus arrangement capable of producing a governorship candidate acceptable to the majority of APC stakeholders in Oyo State.
According to the group, while they remain committed to the unity and electoral success of the APC in the 2027 general elections, they reject any attempt to impose a candidate through propaganda or unilateral declarations.
They concluded by affirming that the Oyo APC remains one indivisible family and expressed confidence that a credible consensus process would strengthen the party’s chances of reclaiming power in the state.
